


The Hands of Swordsmen

by peregrinning



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 20:10:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11297976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peregrinning/pseuds/peregrinning
Summary: Zoro finds his way into an disreputable bar where he meets none other than Captain Tashigi of the Marines, who is there with a difficult decision to make.





	The Hands of Swordsmen

The bar Zoro entered was dim, a few lamps struggling to light the dark spaces hiding between the low rafters and the press of many bodies. Woodsmoke drifted from the kitchen, sizzling sounds sliding out through the cook’s window and across the dark wooden bar-top.

Earlier, he’d been searching for a new whetstone for his swords in the marketplace but had to duck quickly out of sight of a marine regiment. Afterwards he’d been disorientated and took a long time to find his way back to the docks. He could see them now, not far from here and thought he could even make out the silhouette of the Sunny against the setting sun. But first he could do with a drink and some food; he was sure to have missed dinner. Not wanting to run into more marines, he’d chosen the shadiest looking bar out of the few within sight and gone inside.

Sidling up to the bar he ordered a beer and a meal and slid into an unoccupied stool.

“Out of all the bars in the whole ocean, why did you have to come into this one, Roronoa Zoro?”, came a voice from his left. He turned, eyes widening in alarm, hands dropping to his swords.

“Don’t draw them," said the woman from behind a fall of messy black hair. “I’m not interested in picking a fight”.

“You should have stayed quiet, then," he hissed, “and I wouldn’t even have recognised you”. This was true; the Captain Tashigi he knew from the past never looked this, hair down and swept messily to one side, several empty glasses in front of her, in a plain dark jacket. Nor would she have been in this bar (clearly disreputable) on her own at sundown. What was going on?

“Just wanted to make sure you didn’t notice me halfway through your drink and decide to cut me down without warning" she said with a frown. “You can go back to ignoring me now if you like”.

The offer to ignore her was tempting; the woman brought trouble, and he always felt so off-balance around her. The way she acted, the way she looked, Zoro always felt wrong-footed around her. He’d beat her in a sword fight and leave feeling like she was the one who’d defeated him.

But looking into her face now, he realised something was wrong. She looked anxious, miserable, disheveled, and once again he wondered why was she here alone.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“What do you care?” she replied. Annoyance rose and he bit off an angry retort. It wasn’t that he cared, he told himself. But people he liked, respected, they would care. Luffy, Chopper, Nami…they wouldn’t just leave her here like this. No, it wasn’t _him_ that cared.

“Don’t antagonise me. Just answer the question”.

She met his gaze briefly before her eyes flicked away; she took in a deep breath. “It’s Vice Admiral Smoker. He’s been arrested. It’s a cover-up. He’s been… _we’ve_ been investigating corruption in some of the senior-ranking officers. So they’ve made up an insubordination charge”.

He couldn’t say he was surprised. Smoker had always seemed like an honourable man. But the Marine force as a whole? It was rotten to the core.

“So, what? Are they looking for you too?” Zoro asked.

“I don’t think so. I helped him, but my name wasn’t on the report because he was worried about this exact thing happening. And I’ve not been arrested, have I? It must have fooled them. They look down on me because I’m a woman — some of them treat me like a glorified secretary. They think I’m stupid”.

“You being such a klutz probably helps with that impression”.

She glared at him, but then turned her gaze morosely to the empty cups in front of her. “I’m trying to decide what to do. Do I give up on the Marines, turn to a pirate crew or the Revolutionary Army, fight against the force I’ve worked for my entire adult life? Or do I try to work from within the Marines, finding others who are honourable, who still believe in our ideals?”.

Zoro’s gaze swept over her face, the night-black hair contrasting with the pale skin, and his voice was gentle when he said, “And were you hoping that sake held the right answer?”.

Her lips twitched into something resembling a smile for one brief moment. “I was having a lot of trouble with the decision while sober. I thought maybe getting drunk would help. But now I’ve been sitting her so long I’m mostly sober again and I’m still no closer to knowing”.

“You could join our crew, if you need to”. The words came out of his mouth involuntarily, surprising both of them. But he knew it was true. If he wanted her to, if he offered it, Luffy would agree.

Her face went white. “You really mean that?”.

He tried to cover up his offer with a grumble. “It’d be a pain in the ass for me if you were on board, but yeah. We wouldn’t turn someone who’s…been an ally…away if they need help”.

Her eyes met his, and damn, but they were so huge and deep, he felt like he might fall right into them. The moment between them stretched, and he was just starting to panic when a man suddenly pushed in between them.

How had his Observation Haki failed to notice this idiot, reeking of spirits and old seawater? He’d been so distracted by this woman; she was dangerous. Luckily, the guy shouldn’t be much of a challenge.

 

“Hello, sweetheart”. Alcohol-soaked breath climbed into her nostrils and assaulted Tashigi’s senses. The man had lank brown hair and a straggly beard. “Forget grass-head here, it doesn’t look like you’re having much fun. My boys and I can show you a good time”. He leered at her.

Tashigi stood quickly, her stool toppling over backwards, and went to draw her sword. But before she could do anything, the man was sent spinning backwards by a direct hit to the shoulder from the flat side of one of Zoro’s blades. He glared at the drunken man, brandishing the sword in front of him. “Leave her the hell alone or the next time I hit you, you’ll be sliced through shoulder to hip”.

The man’s eyes flicked incredulously from Zoro’s sword to Tashigi. She drew her own sword a threatening half-foot from the scabbard, and the man scrambled away, hissing “the bitch is all yours, then” at Zoro as he left. She watched as Zoro’s face darkened with anger, but he did sheath the swords again.

“I could have dealt with him myself, you know” she said, conversationally. She didn’t have enough energy this time to be annoyed at him for defending what he no doubt considered to be a weak woman in distress.

To her surprise he answered, “I know you could. But if you’re still trying to decide whether or not to become a fugitive from the law, there’s no need to force the decision because you killed that arsehole”.

“I wouldn’t have killed him!” she laughed. “I would have just whacked him, like you did.”

He frowned. “It would have been fair for you to kill him.”

A shiver went down her spine. His words and his eyes contained reckless violence and danger, but right now she was drawn to it. They’d closed ranks without thought when defending against the man and were now standing very close. Close enough that she had to crane her head back to look at him.

His gaze upon her was intense; she felt slightly like a deer that has the hungry eye of a tiger upon it. But instead of fleeing, as she should, she wanted more. She wanted him to devour her.

Tashigi felt her cheeks flare with heat at the direction her thoughts were taking. She bit her lip and watched his eyes drop to her mouth, his pupils dilate.

“I’ve…I’ve got a key. For a room upstairs. I didn’t want to go back to headquarters tonight, and anyway, I was planning to get blackout drunk so it seemed easiest and so maybe…um”. _Tashigi, stop blathering_ , she scolded herself. “Would you want to come upstairs with me?” she finally blurted out.

Zoro's face didn’t display emotions loudly, yet she could tell he was shocked. But then his hand came up to rest on her waist. It was hot and heavy and even through her jacket, she could feel a hint of the strength in those fingers.

“Yes," he said.

 

She could hardly recall a time in her life feeling more nervous than walking up the stairs with Zoro following her. This was crazy, was she really going to sleep with this world-infamous wanted criminal? But she knew deep down that something had been pushing her towards him from the first moment that they met. Their interactions had always stripped her raw, and he’d plagued her thoughts ever since.

She motioned him inside the room so that she could lock the door; walking past her, he brushed a hand over her cheek. It felt like a burning flame had passed briefly over her skin.

She turned to face him and he wasted no time in pulling her into an embrace, his mouth over hers almost fever-hot.

They quickly divested themselves of swords and sword belts; in some ways even that made her feel like they were already both naked. There had always been steel between the two of them in the past; now, his strong arms crushed her against his chest. She fitted a slim hand between them, marvelled at his muscles and the old scar-tissue. What strength he had, to survive this.

They fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs. Moving against him and with him, like two equals working through training forms together; the push and pull, give and take. His hands on her breasts were rough, calloused. Twin to her own calloused palms; the hands of swordsmen.

Finally they lay together, sweat cooling on fevered limbs, his face buried in her neck before he rolled off her. “Don’t go," she said.

“I won’t”.

 

Zoro woke early the next morning. He’d slept well, the tension that for years had existed between him and Captain Tashigi finally released. But now she was getting up, getting dressed while he watched her.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m going back to Headquarters," she replied. Her answer surprised him; he’d thought that perhaps her choice to sleep with him indicated that she was leaning towards abandoning the Marines. His surprise must have shown on his face because, starting to pull on her boots, she explained.

“Zoro, last night was…amazing. And I am tempted to take you up on the offer to join your crew. But somehow, being with you like that, I think I took some of your strength. I still have some things to do within the Marines. I think I can contact some like-minded individuals, tell them what’s been going on”. She strapped on her sword belt. “Then, perhaps we will all turn coat at the same time. It will have more of an impact.”

He sat up in the bed, turned so that his bare feet touched the floor. “I can’t say I’m not a bit disappointed. I enjoyed last night as well and would have liked to spend more time with you. But, I respect your decision”.

He looked up into those deep dark eyes. “You’re very brave. Be careful. And I hope when we meet again it won’t be as enemies”.

“I hope so too,” she said. “But I don’t think it would be. I know that you and your crew are good people”.

He grinned. “Chaotic, though”.

“Well, yes," she said. “You’re pirates”. With a smile she turned to depart. “Will you take the key down when you go?”.

“I will. Farewell, Tashigi”.

“Just for now”. Suddenly, swiftly, she crossed back to his side and leaned down, kissing his cheek gently. He could smell the soft scent of her hair.

Then, she was gone. And so, he began the process of getting dressed, ready to return to his crew.


End file.
